Tom Hanks is reunited with director Paul Greengrass for the epic Western ‘News of the World.’ They collaborated on 2013’s ‘Captain Phillips.’ In their latest work, all the elements come together to make a heartfelt classic. The wide-angle cinematography is beautifully shot in New Mexico by Dariusz Wolski, the musical score by James Newton Howard is powerfully moving and the acting by the two leads is stellar. A good story is all about the hero taking a difficult journey and finding redemption. ‘News of the World’ is no exception and is one of the best films of the year.
Hanks plays a Confederate veteran named Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd. He ekes out a living reading newspaper stories from town to town. Our hero reluctantly agrees to take a young orphaned girl to her Aunt and Uncle. Her name is Johanna and played fiercely by Helena Zengel, a young German actress. You might see some similarities to the John Ford 1956 masterpiece ‘The Searchers’ starring John Wayne. There are but ‘News of the World’ stands out on its own as a classic Western. The chemistry that grows between Joanna and Kidd is beautiful to watch. She was raised by the Kiowa tribe after they murdered her parents.
It’s hard to believe that this is Hanks’ first Western. He plays the fatherly role perfectly. Hanks is America’s everyman like Jimmy Stewart before him. As I watched him and the young girl on their journey, I was invested into the story. I wanted them to make it safely. When there are action scenes, you feel the tension. There is a brilliant scene where unsavory outlaws want to kidnap the girl. Kidd and Johanna must be resourceful in order to outsmart the bandits. Kidd is hardened by his experience in the Civil War but Johanna melts his cold heart. Much of her dialogue is subtitled until she learns a few English words along their travels together.
As they continue along the wagon trail, the Santa Fe New Mexico vistas are breathtaking. At one of their campsites, Johanna grabs a fist full of grounded coffee and shoves it into her mouth. The look on her face is priceless. She then rummages through another can and discovers sugar. Kidd warns her to slow down. It’s a funny moment that turns heartfelt. She looks through his bag and sees a photo of Kidd’s wife. Kidd places it into his pocket. It is scenes like these that reveal so much about the character. He has seen grief and loss in his life. There is danger lurking around every trailhead but they have each other. The bond that grows between Kidd and Johanna is poignant.
‘News of the World’ had me from the opening credits. It grabs you and never lets you go due to the iconic performances. I cannot say enough about the young actress. Zengel delivers a brilliant performance with very little dialogue. Her character’s haunted expressions show the horrors that she endured. The bond that grows between the two leads is sublime. ‘News of the World’ is an epic journey that you don’t want to miss.
